How to Cook the Perfect Stove-Top Chicken Breast

Don’t have a BBQ or grill? No problem! This tutorial will show you How To Cook The Perfect Stove-Top Chicken Breast, grill marks and all! Perfect for small homes without a backyard grill or in a college dorm-room.

As C and I sat down for dinner one night a few weeks ago, he kindly declared that I had totally mastered the art of how to cook the perfect stove-top chicken breast. Now to the average person, this might not seem like an ideal compliment, but for me it was the ultimate! Mainly because it took me almost a year to figure it out…

When we moved into our new place in San Francisco, we gave up our grill. To be fair, we never actually owned a grill, but our previous apartment building had a communal one, which at least meant we could grill when the cravings struck. And when it comes to meat, there’s rarely a reason to do anything to it besides grill it!

But alas, with no access to a BBQ, we forfeited this option (I like to say we traded in a BBQ for a view of the Golden Gate Bridge!) and I became determined to figure out how to cook meat perfectly on the stove-top. 12 months later, I finally succeeded!

I vowed that in 2018 I would start posting those random how-tos and recipes that are way less sexy but infinitely more useful so when C complimented me on my chicken skillz I knew it was time this recipe made an appearance. Of course, making raw meat look attractive is no easy feat, but I’m quite certain there are many of you out there with the same grill-less conundrum who could use a tutorial like this.

I’m also so excited to be teaming up with Simply Organic for our third year in a row bringing you helpful how-tos this year! Having a fully stocked spice cupboard is an absolute must in my life and beyond just adding flavor to your chicken breasts, they basically make or break healthy cooking.

My #1 tip for people who are looking to get creative in the kitchen and make healthy, easy and delicious food is to fully stock your spice cabinet. If you’re curious to see which spices I think are essential to have, check out this post on how to stock and organize your spice cabinet. It’s truly a life-saver.

So let’s not make this any longer than it needs to be and instead jump into my absolute MUSTS when it comes to cooking the perfect stove-top chicken breast!

1. Use quality chicken – I think this is a given, but it still surprises me how many people reach for the poorest quality meat. Of course, I respect whatever is feasible for you but if you actually want the nutritional benefits from meat and want something that doesn’t taste like cardboard, reach for organic and free-range chicken. All poultry is antibiotic and hormone-free so even though a lot of packaging says this, they have to be. You can read more about my meat choices here.

2. Clean chicken very well – Always dry your chicken to the best of your ability. Use paper towel or a dish towel (for a more environmentally-friendly option but throw into the washing machine immediately after use!) to dry it completely. You don’t want the breast to be wet at all.

3. Use a spice rub – I prefer to spice my chicken with a dry rub mix. Simply Organic makes fantastic spice-blends that you can use or feel free to get experimental and mix a bunch of spices yourself. Also, don’t skimp on salt. It’s necessary to bring out the flavor. Below I’ve included which blends I like to use.

4. Bring to room temperature – I leave my chicken breasts out for 1 hour before cooking them. This will help cut down the cooking time and make sure the chicken cooks evenly. I know people are scared to leave poultry out, but trust me on this. Leave on your counter for 45-60 minutes before cooking.

5. Use a cast-iron grill pan – this is an absolute must! It is the only way you can get BBQ-style chicken on your stove-top. This is the one I prefer and while it can be a pain to clean, it is the only thing that comes close to an indoor grill!

Instructions

Coat chicken with seasoning and use hands to ensure it is rubbed in completely on all sides.

Allow chicken to sit out on counter for 45-60 minutes.

Place cast-iron grill pan on stove top over high heat and coat with olive oil or oil of choice. *turn on hood vent immediately

Once cast-iron grill pan is smoking, place chicken breasts on top of pan and cook for 5 minutes.

Flip and cook for 5 minutes on the other side.

If your chicken breasts are bigger, you may need closer to 6-7 minutes or smaller closer to 4 minutes per side.

Remove from heat and allow chicken to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Simply Organic. I’m honored to be an ambassador for them for the third year in a row. All opinions expressed are 100% my own, however I was compensated for my time. Thank you for supporting the brands that help make THM possible.

Which how-tos would you like to see this year? Do you have a grill or use your stove-top?

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13 Comments

Jennifer

January 12, 2018 at 11:03 am

I’ll have to try this method. I haven’t mastered the art of stovetop chicken breasts. Although, I’m a bit confused about the washing step… From everything I’ve read about chicken, that’s supposed to be a big no-no for sanitary reasons.

Jennifer

January 12, 2018 at 4:50 pm

I guess it sounds counterintuitive doesn’t it? Many food safety recommendations state that chicken shouldn’t be washed before cooking. The big reason is that no matter how careful we are, the bacteria on the chicken can splash into the sink and onto counters as it’s being washed. They also say that any bacteria on the chicken will be destroyed if it’s cooked properly. I don’t think washing it actually cleans it or “sanitizes” it, for lack of a better term.

got it! That’s interesting! I’ve heard the total opposite of the need to clean it in order to prevent contamination. But who knows, this safety stuff is always changing. At the end of the day whether you wash it or not will be a total preference thing, but for certain it needs to be dried completely when it comes to cooking chicken that tastes great 🙂 Thanks for sharing this with me. So fascinating!

Alyssa

January 15, 2018 at 10:30 pm

Microbiologist here! The worst thing you can do is wash your chicken, its gets the bacteria everywhere and you’re more likely to get sick! I don’t know where you read to wash it, but anyone who knows anything about bacteria will tell you don’t do it! Its actually quite dangerous. As long as the chicken is cooked properly it won’t make you sick, the bacteria dies when its heated. And to be honest, unless you are giving your chicken a thorough scrubbing, you’re not washing off all the bacteria anyway! Doesnt matter what kind of chicken, it’ll all have bacteria on it! Although to be honest you are more likely to get sick from vegetables. I don’t eat alfalfa sprouts for this reason!

Thanks, Alyssa! Much appreciated. I never knew that – I was always taught to wash it so that’s super helpful. I’ll update the post now. Either way, when it comes to taste, it’s important to make sure it’s very dry before seasoning and cooking. Thanks for the super helpful feedback!

Jess B

January 24, 2018 at 3:40 pm

Such a simple thing to cook and yet I always seem to have trouble getting the timing right! Thanks for the instructions!

On another random note, the stove top griddle make me start thinking about registering (I’m recently engaged and feel so overwhelmed about what to register for). Over the years we’ve really accumulated a lot of cheap, random kitchen items (one of our plates literally broke in half last night!) and I really want to find some good quality items that will last us a long time. Given your upcoming wedding, have you registered yet and do you have any suggestions on items you love/ think should be in everyone’s kitchen? I’m mostly stumped on what brands have good bakeware/ cookware items. Any suggestions you have would be great! Thanks 🙂

Tricia

February 4, 2018 at 3:39 pm

I am looking for some nice recipes. I want to try this as soon as possible 😀 And i think that it is important to have a good lifestyle. I wish to lose some weight and eat tasty food at the same time. For example i am trying recipes from this book http://bit.ly/loseWeightWithGoodFood and i am satisfied so far.

I make grilled chicken on the stove top at least once a week and agree that a cast iron grill pan is the way to go! They are tough to clean, but the results are so worth it. The only catch is that it cooks so fast that my chicken burns on the outside sometimes. I’ll have to try out your time recommendations and see if it works better. Great tip on turning on the hood vent– it’s a must! Thanks for sharing, Davida!

I make grilled chicken on the stove top at least once a week and agree that a cast iron grill pan is the way to go! They are tough to clean, but the results are so worth it. The only catch is that it cooks so fast that my chicken burns on the outside sometimes. I’ll have to try out your time recommendations and see if it works better. Great tip on turning on the hood vent– it’s a must! Thanks for sharing, Davida!